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Background: Enhydra fluctuans Lour. (Asteraceae), an edible aquatic herb, is traditionally employed against toxic effects of heavy metals in India. The present study was planned to discover the protective effect of edible extract of E. fluctuans (AEEF) against Pb toxicity. Methods: The cytoprotective role of AEEF was determined on murine hepatocytes employing MTT assay and Hoechst staining. The effects on lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, endogenous redox systems and the transcription levels of apoptotic proteins were studied after incubating the hepatocytes with AEEF (400 μg/ml) + Pb-acetate (6.8 μM). The defensive role of AEEF (100 mg/kg) against Pb-acetate (5 mg/kg) intoxication was measured in mice by in vivo assays. Biochemical, haematological and histological parameters, intracellular Pb burden and redox status were measured. Results: AEEF exhibited a concentration dependent cytoprotective effect against Pb-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. Pb-acetate incubation significantly (p < 0.01) altered the extents of ROS production ↑, protein carbonylation ↑, lipid peroxidation ↑, endogenous antioxidant enzymes ↓ and GSH ↓ in vitro. Besides, Pb-acetate significantly (p < 0.01) induced apoptosis in the hepatocytes apparent from the altered expressions of apoptotic proteins viz. Apaf-1 ↑, Bad ↑, Bcl-2 ↓, Cyt C ↑, cleaved caspases↑, Bid ↑ and Fas ↑. However, AEEF (400 μg/ml) could significantly (p < 0.05–0.01) attenuate the Pb-acetate mediated toxic manifestation in vitro. In in vivo assay, Pb-acetate (5 mg/kg) treated mice exhibited significantly (p < 0.01) high intracellular Pb content. A high Pb-burden within the tissues caused significant (p < 0.05–0.01) patho-physiological alterations viz. ROS production ↑, protein carbonylation↑, lipid peroxidation ↑, DNA fragmentation ↑, ATP formation ↑, mitochondrial co-enzymes Q ↓, endogenous antioxidant enzymes ↓ and GSH ↓ within the selected tissues. The haematological and serum biochemical parameters were significantly (p < 0.05–0.01) different in the Pb-acetate treated mice. Finally, histological assessment imposed significant toxic occurrence within the organs of Pb-intoxicated animals. However, concurrent administration of AEEF (100 mg/kg) could significantly (p < 0.05–0.01) reinstate the Pb-acetate mediated toxicity. Conclusion: Presence of metal chelators and phyto-antioxidants within AEEF would offer overall protection through promoting Pb clearance coupled with restoring redox balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distillery industry is recognized as one of the most polluting industries in India with a large amount of annual effluent production. In this present study, the optimization of electrochemical treatment process variables was reported to treat the color and COD of distillery spent wash using Ti/Pt as an anode in a batch mode. Process variables such as pH, current density, electrolysis time, and electrolyte dose were selected as operation variables and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal efficiency were considered as response variable for optimization using response surface methodology. Indirect electrochemical-oxidation process variables were optimized using Box-Behnken response surface design (BBD). The results showed that electrochemical treatment process effectively removed the COD (89.5%) and color (95.1%) of the distillery industry spent wash under the optimum conditions: pH of 4.12, current density of 25.02 mA/cm(2), electrolysis time of 103.27 min, and electrolyte (NaCl) concentration of 1.67 g/L, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial communities within subsurface uranium (U) deposits were explored to understand the nature of community composition and their potential role in biogeochemical cycle and bioremediation. Geochemical analysis revealed that the U ores were mainly hosted on metamorphosed chlorite-biotite schists, containing varied organic carbon and elevated level of several heavy metals (U, Cu, Cr, Zn, etc.). Microbial diversity as explored by 16S rRNA gene clone library and DGGE analyses revealed predominance ofProteobacteria,Acidobacteria,Bacteroidetesalong withFirmicutesand candidate division OP9 within the domainBacteriaandEuryarchaeotawithin the domainArchaea. Among the physiochemical parameters, level of organic carbon showed considerable impact on influencing community diversity and composition. Samples from Jaduguda with high organic carbon showed abundance of bacteria known for metabolizing different carbon compounds and affiliated to unclassified uncultured members ofChitnophagaceae(Bacteroidetes), Gp4 ofAcidobacteriaand unclassified β-Proteobacteriaand halophilic, nitrate-reducing γ-Proteobacteria. A relatively diverse assemblage of species capable of autotrophic/heterotrophic N2fixation, CH4utilization, H2(0)/Fe(II)/Mn(II)/S(0) oxidation, NO3/Fe(III) reduction, U and other metal precipitation/mineralization and affiliated to familiesRhizobiaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Caulobacteraceae,Comamonadaceaeand generaAcinetobacter, MarinobacterandAlcanivoraxconstituted the Bagjata samples. Distribution and interrelations among abundance of various bacterial groups detected in other U mines/radioactive waste sites were compared with our data. Overall, the study reported distinct compositions of indigenous microbial communities among the samples from two mines and provided a better insight in geomicrobiology of U deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: We attempt to ascertain if the 3 linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the Progesterone Receptor (PR) gene (exon 1: G 1031 C; S344T, exon 4: G 1978 T; L660V and exon 5: C 2310 T; H770H) and the PROGINS insertion in the intron G, between exons 7 and 8, are associated with Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion (RSA) in the Indian population. Methodology/Principal Findings: A total of 143 women with RSA and 150 controls were sequenced for all the 8 exons looking for the above 3 linked SNPs of the PR gene earlier implicated in the RSA, as well as for any new SNPs that may be possibly found in the Indian population. PROGINS insertion was screened by electrophoresis. We did not find any new mutations, not observed earlier, in our population. Further, we did not find significant role of the *2 allele (representing the mutant allele at the three SNP loci) or the T2 allele (PROGINS insertion) in the manifestation of RSA. We also did not find an LD pattern between each of the 3 SNPs and the PROGINS insertion. Conclusions/Significance: The results suggest that the PR gene mutations may not play any exclusive role in the manifestation of RSA, and instead, given significantly higher frequency of the *2 allele among the normal women, we surmise if it does not really confer a protective role among the Indian populations, albeit further studies are required in the heterogeneous populations of this region before making any conclusive statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aquatic environment around the textile industries in India was severely affected due to continuous discharge of effluents. In order to avoid further deterioration, the pollution control board of Tamil Nadu, India has enforced zero discharge concepts throughout the state. Consequently, most of the industries have opted membrane technology to recover water. The present study was aimed to find out the efficacy of electrochemical techniques as pretreatment methods to reverse osmosis (RO). The textile wastewater was initially treated by electrocoagulation to remove the suspended solids. After the electrocoagulation, the wastewater was further treated by electrooxidation for COD removal. Mild steel as anode was found to be effective for coagulation of suspended solids. For electrooxidation, graphite and RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium were used as electrodes. The efficiency of these electrode materials was evaluated in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, instantaneous current efficiency (ICE) and electrooxidation index (EOI). The COD was removed to the extent of 90–93% using graphite and 54% with RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium electrodes. The current efficiency of 40% and 11% was achieved with graphite and RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium respectively. The degradation of organics was followed using GC–MS and the reason for incomplete degradation of organics in the presence of RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most of the distilleries in India and the world over employ bio-methanation of molasses spent wash in a bio-digester plant followed by two-stage aerobic treatment as a treatment strategy. The bio-digester effluent (BDE) generated after this treatment strategy still has a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dark brown color, and cannot be directly discharged into a water body. In the present study, electrocoagulation (EC) has been employed for the COD and color removal of a BDE in a batch EC reactor using stainless steel (SS) electrode. A central composite (CC) experimental design has been employed to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of four independent parameters namely initial pH (pH0: 3.5–9.5), current density (j: 39.06–195.31Am−2), inter-electrode distance (g: 1–2cm) and electrolysis time (t: 30–150min) on the COD and color removal efficiency. Pareto analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a high coefficient of determination value for COD (R 2 =0.9144) and color (R 2 =0.7650) between the experimental values and the predicted values by a second-order regression model. Maximum COD and color removal of 61.6 and 98.4%, respectively, were observed at optimum conditions. Detailed physico-chemical analysis of electrode and residues (scum and sludge) of the EC process has also been carried out. A strategy for the disposal of EC residues has been proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presence of Fe (II) ions in drinking water across different parts of India is a serious health concern in recent years. To reduce the Fe (II) ions in drinking water, researches are now being carried out using efficient and economical methods like adsorption, electrocoagulation etc. In the present work, experimental studies were carried out to optimize various operating parameters of electrocoagulation (EC) for efficient removal of iron (Fe (II) ions) from drinking water. Further, total dissolved solids, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, pH was accessed to verify the quality of treated water. From experimental results it was observed that, initial pH of 6.34, current density of 2 mA cm−2 with inter-electrode distance of 1 cm, electrocoagulation time of 45 min, initial salt (NaCl) concentration of 0.33 g L-1, stirring speed of 400 RPM are the optimum operating parameters to produce drinkable water (Fe (II) ions <0.30 mg L-1) from tap water having initial Fe (II) ions of 20 mg L-1. Kinetic analysis of EC process infers that Fe (II) ion removal follows the first-order kinetic model with respect to different operating parameters. The rate constant (k) increased from 0.0352 min-1 to 0.1087 min-1 when the current density was increased from 1 mA cm-2 to 2.5 mA cm-2, due to availability of higher amounts of aluminium ion flocs during EC. Experimental studies confirm that suspended flocs generated during electrocoagulation can be separated by centrifugal methods as well as microfiltration membrane to replace laboratory scale filter paper-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the career achievements of Ashok K. Vijh, one of the four new Honorary Fellows of the The Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI). Vijh is exploring several areas of physical electrochemistry and materials science. In fact, his recent work is concentrating on electrochemical energy conversion and storage and electrochemical treatment of cancerous tumors.

The trace element contents of five varieties of instant coffee powder available in the Indian market have been analysed. Ca, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sr, Zn and Pb, Cd, Cu have been determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, respectively. The metal levels in the coffee powders observed in this study are comparable with those reported for green coffe beans (Arabica and Robusta variety) reported worldwide with the exception of Sr and Zn, which were on the lower side of the reported values. Concentrations of these metals have been converted into intake figures based on coffee consumption. The daily intakes of the above metals through ingestion of coffee are 1.4 mg, 1.58 microg, 124 microg, 41.5 mg, 4.9 mg, 17.9 microg, 2.9 microg, 3.8 microg, 12.5 microg, 0.2 microg, 0.03 microg and 15.5 microg, respectively. The values, which were compared with the total dietary, intake of metals through ingestion by the Mumbai population, indicate that the contribution from coffee is less than or around 1% for most of the elements except for Cr and Ni which are around 3%.